Risotto With Lentils And Corn Food

SWEET CORN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Cut the corn kernels off the cobs (see notes). In a heavy-bottomed high-sided skillet, over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the corn kernels and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and transfer 1/3 of the cooked corn to the jar of a blender. Reserve the remaining corn in a bowl.
• Pour the heavy cream in the blender with the corn. Blend until smooth. Reserve.
• In a medium sauce pan, heat the broth over medium high heat, until simmering. Lower the heat to the lowest setting to keep the broth warm while you cook the risotto.
• Place the skillet back on the stove, over medium heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter has melted, add the minced shallots and sauté until softened, about 1-2 minutes.
• Add the arborio rice and stir to coat in the fat. Cook for about a minute, or until the rice is toasty and releasing a nutty aroma but not browned. Season with a pinch of salt and white pepper. Pour in the white wine and cook until fully absorbed, about 1 minute.
• Add a ladleful of broth to the rice, stirring occasionally so the rice doesn't stick to the pan, but not too often or it will cool and not cook evenly. Once the liquid is absorbed, add the next ladleful, repeating this process until the rice is cooked through but al dente, about 17-20 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat. Add the remaining butter and parmesan cheese, stirring vigorously to melt the butter and emulsify it into the risotto.
• Gently stir in the reserved creamed corn and corn kernels. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Garnish with fresh basil and serve warm!

THE BEST RISOTTO

Steps:

• Warm the chicken stock in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, cover and keep warm while you make the risotto.
• Heat the olive oil in another medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallot, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and about 10 grinds of black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves and 3 tablespoons butter, stirring until the butter has melted, about 1 minute.
• Add the rice and toast, stirring only once, until it smells nutty and starts to turn light golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Pour in the wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it has evaporated completely, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Ladle one cup of the warm stock into the rice and cook, stirring gently without stopping, until the rice has absorbed the liquid, 2 to 3 minutes (you will know it's time to add more stock when you move the rice aside and no liquid pools in the center).
• Repeat this process, adding more stock a ladleful at a time, until the rice is al dente, 17 to 19 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. (You may have a little stock left over. If so, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.) If you prefer your risotto on the saucier side, add more stock 1/4 cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
• Stir in the Parmesan, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt and a few more grinds of black pepper and serve with more Parmesan, if desired.

GRILLED CORN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Grill the corn until lightly charred on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the kernels from the cobs and reserve the cobs.
• Break the reserved corn cobs in half and place them in a large pot with the stock. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, and then turn off the heat and steep the cobs in the stock for 30 minutes.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the fennel and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Remove the fennel from the pan and set aside. Add another 2 tablespoons of the butter to the pan and cook the corn kernels until soft and velvety, 10 to 15 minutes. Season the corn with salt and pepper, and set it aside.
• Pass the corn stock through a strainer into a saucepan and discard the cobs. Keep warm over low heat. Heat the oil in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until it no longer appears chalky on the outside, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the wine and simmer, stirring frequently, until absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of the corn stock, stirring frequently until the liquid is absorbed, about 7 minutes. Add another 1 1/2 cups of stock and simmer, stirring frequently, until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the rice appears fluffy, but is still slightly firm. If the rice is still hard or chewy, add the remaining stock, 1 cup at a time, and keep stirring until the proper doneness is reached. The total cooking time should be 20 to 25 minutes. You might not use all 6 cups of stock, but any remaining stock can be refrigerated and used for another dish.
• Stir in the reserved fennel and corn kernels, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Season with salt and pepper, and serve. Garnish with fennel fronds.

CORN-AND-OAT RISOTTO

Steps:

• Remove the kernels from the corn cobs and set aside. Hold the cobs over a large saucepan and use the back of a knife to scrape down the cobs to "milk" them of any corn liquid. Drop the scraped cobs into the saucepan and add 8 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced to 6 cups, about 30 minutes. Strain and keep warm.
• Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the onion is translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Add the corn kernels and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the corn just starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the oats and stir until coated. Add the wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until the wine is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 3 cups of the warm corn broth to the oats. Simmer, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid is absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 2 more cups of broth and simmer, stirring constantly, until the oats are tender but slightly toothsome, about 10 to 12 minutes more. Remove from the heat, stir in the Parmesan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Adjust the consistency of the risotto by adding more of the broth as necessary. Pour into a serving dish, sprinkle with the dill and a few more grinds of pepper and serve immediately.

RISOTTO WITH LENTILS AND CORN

Steps:

• Heat stock till simmering.
• Heat oil in saucepan on medium.
• Cook onion and garlic for 4 - 5 minutes.
• Stir in rice and lentils, cook for 1 minute.
• Add 1 ladle of hot stock, stir till absorbed.
• Add stock, ladle by ladle till absorbed.
• Stir constantly, will take about 30 minutes till rice tender.
• Add more stock or water if need be.
• Add corn and rocket, stir till heated through.
• Stir through parmesan and season.
• Top with extra cheese and serve.

RED BELL PEPPER, POTATO AND CORN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Red bell pepper juice:
• Take about 7 red peppers, stem and seed them, then put through an extractor-type juicer.
• In a large non-reactive sucepan combine the potato cubes, corn kernels, pepper juice, paprika and cayenne. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes or until the potatoes are just tender and the juice is reduced by about 1/3. Add a teaspoon of the lemon juice, taste, and add more if needed. Continue to reduce and, when the mixture is almost dry, add the cream and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 1 minute more, stir in the butter, and remove from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately in warmed bowls, garnishe with a few sprigs of chevril and 2 grilled scallions

CORN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring the corn stock or chicken stock to a simmer in a saucepan and keep it simmering as you prepare the risotto.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a wide, high-sided sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add rice and cook, stirring, until grains look slightly translucent.
• Pour in wine and cook, stirring, until it has all been absorbed, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add a ladleful of hot corn stock to the rice mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until rice has absorbed all of the stock. Continue cooking, adding ladlefuls of stock whenever rice mixture looks dry and stirring continuously. When half the stock has been added, stir in corn. Continue cooking until all of the stock is incorporated, corn is tender and rice is creamy and tender, about 30 to 40 minutes total.
• Remove risotto from heat and stir in Parmesan and remaining tablespoon of butter. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
• In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream at high speed until it holds stiff peaks. Uncover risotto, stir vigorously and season to taste with salt and pepper. Immediately before serving, stir in the chives, if using, then gently fold in cream.
• Combine all ingredients with 6 cups water in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat so liquid is simmering; cover pot and let simmer for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Add enough water to bring liquid up to 6 cups.

RISOTTO WITH LENTILS

Steps:

• Thoroughly rinse the lentils and rice, being sure to remove any small stones or dirt. Place them in the slow cooker insert along with the water and 1 teaspoon salt.
• In a sauté pan, heat the butter and sauté the onion over medium-high heat until the onion is golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• Add the onion to the lentils and rice. Cover and cook on high for about 2 hours, or until both the lentils and the rice are tender. Add additional salt,if necessary, and pepper to taste.
• Top each serving with a drizzle of the olive oil and a generous sprinkling of the Parmesan cheese and the parsley.
• Any good, medium-bodied red wine would be nice with this dish. I might try a Barbera or a young, fruity Zinfandel or one of my favorite easy-drinking Italian varietals, Callaway Vineyards' Dolcetto.